Last week we began looking at the Christian life as walking differently based on the last half of Ephesians 4. We considered the first of two measuring sticks of a life that is different — that we are to walk differently from unconverted outsiders. After giving a graphic cross-section description of the world of unconverted outsiders, Ephesians 4:20–22 continues, “But that is not the way you learned Christ — assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self … and to put on the new self.” With these words as our beginning point, this week we think about a second measuring stick — walking differently from our own unconverted past.
Terms often used to speak theologically of the beginning of the Christian life contain the implicit truth that Christians are to live differently from what was true of their pre-conversion days. For example, the common term “conversion” suggests a definite and identifiable change. “New birth” implies a similar truth — that becoming a Christian involves a new beginning or a new life. Similarly the expression “redeemed” conveys the thought of a payment made that sets a person free. In its use to describe being a Christian, redeemed includes being freed from sin’s penalty and power — a freedom that cost Jesus His life’s blood.
Put on the new self
Letting the theology of Christian conversion inform us about Christian living, our passage in Ephesians 4:20–32 gives a number of particular ways in which we are to live differently from how we lived previously. Using the imagery of a change of clothes the passage maintains that in becoming Christians we put off the old self and put on the new self. Moving beyond this imagery, the passage gets down to particulars concerning what walking differently from our old, unconverted past is to look like.
The passage instructs us to lay aside false speaking and put on true speaking (4:25). It tells us to put away sinful anger and replace it with a controlled temper (4:26–27). A series of exchanges follow — putting off stealing and engaging in honest work (4:28) as well as leaving behind corrupt speech that defiles others in order to adopt edifying speech that builds up others (4:29). Walking differently involves a total wardrobe exchange.
Pre-conversion attitudes
Lest the one-for-one exchanges elongate the list of differences that Christ in one’s life causes to happen, the passage groups six pre-conversion attitudes that are to be put away. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (4:31). In the world at large people do encounter angry people with bitter attitudes as well as those who spew out malicious slander. However, our theology of Christian living should dictate that we not be numbered among such folks.
A grouping of new attitudes — kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness (4:32) — is to replace the former ways of thinking, acting and reacting. Between these two groupings of some of the characteristics of the old self and those of the new self, which is described as being “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (4:24), is the serious command not to grieve the Holy Spirit (4:30). The idea is rather clear. If as Christians we do not walk differently from our unconverted past, the Holy Spirit will be put to grief.
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